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Sunday, August 05, 2012

Saudi Arabia deported 35 Ethiopian Christians for praying

(Aug 05, 2012, BERLIN)--29 women, 6 men assaulted while in jail for months after being detained for holding an all-night prayer vigil in Saudi Arabia.

Photo: BAZRATNER/REUTERS

Saudi Arabia deported 35 Ethiopian Christians
last week after incarcerating them for over seven months for praying in
advance of the Christmas season in December 2011, according to Christian media outlets and NGOs. International Christian Concern wrote on its website that “Saudi Arabia deported the last of the 35 Ethiopian Christians who were detained for holding an all-night prayer vigil.

Saudi security officials assaulted, harassed and pressured the Christians to convert to Islam during their incarceration.” “We
have arrived home safe. We believe that we are released as the result
of the pressure exerted by ICC and others,” one of the Ethiopians told ICC.

“The Saudi officials
don’t tolerate any other religions other than Islam. They consider
non-Muslims as unbelievers. They are full of hatred towards
non-Muslims.” On December 15, Saudi authorities
raided a private religious function in Jeddah, a city on the Red Sea
coast in western Saudi Arabia, and arrested 35 Ethiopian Christian workers. Read more from Jerusalem Post »